layers, pretty layers

So long lettuce, welcome root vegetables and winter greens! Grated or chopped, raw or roasted, root veggies make for delicious salads that are more filling and nutritious than a plate of leaves.  But this kind of a salad is not only healthy, it also lets you take advantage of all the local goodies that are available in the Fall and that keep well over Winter.  And because appearances do matter when it comes to food, a salad that uses grated carrots and beets also looks very pretty when served in a clear glass bowl.  If I have not yet convinced you and you need another reason to try it, here is it: this salad keeps much better than a green salad, so if you can't finish it all tonight, you can always eat it for lunch tomorrow.  Now, you can't do that with lettuce, can you?!

The idea is simple: you grate and chop various veggies, season them, and layer them one on top of the other. Beets, carrots, cabbage, fennel, endives or radicchio are some colorful ideas. The more colours you use, the prettier the salad will be, especially if you alternate them.  To add some protein power, you can use some lentils or beans as one of your layers.  White kidney beans tossed with some parsley pesto are particularly delicious.  Also, to make the salad more filling, you can add a layer of grains like spelt, quinoa, millet or buckwheat.  Finally, make a nice creamy herb dressing or some guacamole to top it off.  

 

I made two of these last week because they were so good. Here is one idea: 

Layered veggie salad with spelt kernels and herbed white beans

3 carrots, grated 

2 large beets, sliced 

1-2 Belgian endives, sliced into rounds

1 leek, the white part

1 can white kidney beans

1 cup spelt kernels or pearl barley

2 cloves garlic

1-2 avocados

1t coriander seeds

1/2 bunch cilantro

juice of 1 lime, and 1 lemon

1/3 cup olive oil

1-2t cumin 

sea salt 

Brush the beets with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse salt, place on baking sheet and roast for 15-20minutes.  When done, cool slightly and dice into small pieces.  Add a little balsamic cream or balsamic vineger and salt.  If you prefer to go more raw, just grate the beets instead and season with the same, vinegar, salt and olive oil. 

In a small pot, cook the spelt kernels in a cup and a half of water.  It will take about 15-20mins. Set aside. 

Grate the carrots.  In a small pan, toss the coriander seeds with 1T of olive oil until fragrant - about 1 minute. In a small bowl, mix with a squirt of lemon juice, the tossed coriander and the oil, and a dash of cumin and sea salt. Set aside. 

Slice the endives, slice the leeks into thin rounds.  Mix the two with a little lemon and salt. 

In a food processor, mix the coriander with 1/4 cup of olive oil and half the lime juice.  Add grated almonds or pinenuts and process more.  It will be like a pesto but without cheese.   Drain and rinse the beans.  In a small bowl, mix them with 2T of the pesto.  Set aside. 

Finally, make a quick guacamole.  With a fork, mash your avocados, add the garlic, the remaining lime juice, a dash of salt and a little cumin. 

Now, time to layer! In a glass bowl layer all the goodies starting with the farro, beets, endives, beans, carrots and top it all of with the layer of guacamole.  If you like, you can also add some of the pesto sauce on top. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

lentil: a modest legume or the veggie hero?

modest they may be, but lentils are delicious and pack-in some serious nutrition.  lentils not only contain high levels of proteins (100grams packs in 26 grams of protein), including the essential amino acids isoleucine and lysine, they also contain dietary fiber, folate, vitamin B, and minerals. better yet, lentils are one of the best vegetable sources of iron (100 grams contains 60% of the daily value).  no wonder that then Health magazine has called them one of the top five healthiest foods.

and you know what else is great about lentils?  whether you sprout them and eat them raw, or cook them, most lentils are pretty quick and easy to prepare and are very versatile.  from soups, salads to "filling" in pasta sauces and stews, lentils can be simple and rustic or quite sophisticated.  just use your imagination!

here are a couple of simple recipes for lentil salad. the first is inspired by the french green lentils i had at my disposal. i decided to make a salad that i imagined may be consumed in Provence... having a little Provencal herbs, some fresh fennel, capers and Dijon mustard always makes me think that i can emulate the smells and tastes of the French country! well, i'm not sure whether i was fully successful, but this is one tasty and simple salad to make.  and whether you are vegetarian, vegan or an omnivore, your body will thank you!

the second, also takes me (and hopefully you) on a culinary journey.  i had these wonderful Aleppo pepper flakes that i brought back from my last trip to Portland.  they are strangely and naturally moist and salty (without salt added) and i've been sprinkling them over many dishes lately.  i did a bit of research on them and found that are often used in Turkish and Tunisian cuisine, so i "imagined" a north African style lentil dish.  except this one also uses red quinoa  - not geographically or culinary-culture appropriate to the region, but so delicious! and so full of protein... you may or may not know, but quinoa is a seed (not a grain) that is traditionally used and grown in Peru (or had been once upon a time and is currently experiencing a revival) aside from the delicious nutty flavour is also an incredible source of protein.  lentils and quinoa together, only double the goodness!  i made this salad after my first long bicycle ride this fall and it was meant as a protein rich recovery meal.  and it was!

"dream of Provence", warm french lentil salad with balsamic cream

1 cup french lentils
1/2 bulb of fennel (plus whatever "feathery" fennel greens are on it), diced
1 carrot, diced
1/3 block of smoked tofu (if you can find it, or just regular firm tofu)
3 roasted red peppers
1T capers
2T balsamic cream or balsamic vinegar+1T maple syrup
1T olive oil + some for sauteing
1 bay leaf
1T herbs Provencal, or thyme and rosemary
pinch of ground cumin
sea salt, black pepper

in a small pot, bring the lentils to boil, in 2 cups of water with 1 bay leaf.  turn down the heat, simmer partially covered for 15-20minutes or until tender but still a little crunch.

heat a little olive oil in a pan. saute the diced fennel bulb, tofu and the carrots with a little cumin and sea salt. saute for about 5 minutes.  drain and dice the roasted red peppers.  when lentils cooked, drain and, in a medium sized bowl, combine the lentils with the sauteed veggies, roasted red peppers, finely chopped fennel greens, capers, salt, balsamic cream, oil and herbs. add some ground peppers to taste. serve with crusty bread, or on a bed of greens!

Tunisian quinoa lentil salad  

1 cup red quinoa
1 cup french lentils (or green lentils)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
5 cloves of garlic, whole unpeeled 
6-7 asparagus spears, cut into 1/2 chunks
5 marinated artichoke hearts
1/2 bunch of flat leaf, Italian parsley
dill weed or fennel greens
juice of one lemon
olive oil
sea salt
1t cumin, ground
1t Aleppo pepper flakes, or chili pepper flakes

in a pot, bring the quinoa and 1 and 1/2 cup of water to boil.  turn down the heat and simmer, under cover until done (it should take about 10-15mins).
in another pot, bring the cup of lentils and 1 1/2 cup of water to boil (add a bay leaf).  turn down down the heat and simmer.  the lentils and the quinoa will take an approximately the same amount of time.  the lentils may take a little longer.

while the quinoa and lentils are cooking, place the diced peppers, garlic and the asparagus in a roasting dish, and toss with 2T of olive oil and some coarse salt and pepper.  roast in the oven at 500F for 10mins or until done.  when done, squeeze the garlic out of the husk. set aside.  


cut the artichoke hearts into smaller/bite size pieces.  finely chop the dill and parsley. 

in a large bowl, combine the quinoa, lentils, roasted veggies, artichokes, parsley and dill weed.  squeeze the lemon, add 2T (or more if you like) of olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin and the Aleppo or chili flakes. serve with lemon wedges for more lemony goodness!

the (absolutely) best beet salad

i can't get enough of beets! at the risk of repeating myself, i am posting yet another roasted beet salad. but i promise: this one is the best, absolutely!  the trick is to get a bunch of fresh beets, that way they are not too large and are very firm.  beets are plentiful right now and you can find them at your local farmer's markets; so get them while you can.  i got a bunch of amazing golden, red and pink beets today, and it was enough to make 2 big dinner size salads or 4 sides.  at $3 a bunch, its not bad! this salad is vegan, but if you eat eggs, to make it even more filling you can top it with a soft-poached egg... that, in fact, would also make a lovely brunch dish!

another trick has to do with the sauce/dressing for this salad.  i usually pair my roasted beets with a balsamic glaze or a little lemon, but today i was in a mood for something more garlicky, tart and creamy... sort of a cross between cesar dressing and hollandaise sauce... to contrast with the sweetness of the beets.  and yes, it was a winner! normally i make my creamy dressings by blending tofu with lemon, garlic and dijon mustard, but an effort to use less soy has forced me to experiment with other ingredients.  and my favourite soy replacement these days is coconut milk... i usually buy it canned, but i found this amazing 100% coconut milk in a tetrapak at my local grocer and, ever since, i have been addicted to it.  aside from the obvious uses in curries and soups, i have been pouring it over baked/grilled peaches for a creamy dessert (its basically as delicious if not better than cream or melted vanilla ice cream), using it in my morning espresso (mixed with some water and shaken ... it actually foams up!), and today, i used it to make a savory creamy dressing for my salad. it was absolutely creamy and delicious! and rich as it may be, coconut milk is very healthy, so enjoy it!

what you'll need for this salad:

roasted beet, zucchini salad with black kale and creamy dijon garlic sauce.

1 bunch beets (about 6 small to medium size)
1 bunch black kale (or another variety)
1 yellow zucchini
1/2 red onion
2 sprigs rosemary
1T coarse salt, 1/2t cinnamon bark
2-3T olive oil
1-2T sliced almonds, roasted

wash the beets well, quarter (or cut into smaller chunks depending on beet size).
slice the zucchini and the onion. place all veggies in a roasting pan, toss with the olive oil, rosemary and salt. roast in oven for 20-30mins, until beets done.

quickly saute or steam the kale.

creamy garlicky dressing
1-2 cloves garlic
2T coconut cream (skimmed of the top, if you can't find the tetrapack variety, you can use the regular canned stuff, just put your can in the fridge for an hour beforehand to get the "cream" to set)
1T (or more) coconut milk/water
1T dijon mustard
1t capers
1/2-1t nutritional yeast flakes (optional)

in a small bowl, mix the ingredients together.  add more or less coconut milk/water to get the right consistency.

assemble the salad by placing the roasted beets and zucchini atop the bed of kale.  pour 1T dressing and sprinkle roasted almonds on top.

this salad is also delicious topped with a soft poached egg.

the best quinoa

quinoa is fast to prepare, really delicious and so very good for you!  in this simple recipe, quinoa, roasted or grilled zucchini squash, red peppers, cherry tomatoes mingle with chipotle, coriander and lime seasoning for a delicious summer lunch!

1 cup quinoa, cooked

3 small zucchinis (i used 2 yellow and one green), roasted or grilled, cooled and diced

1 cup red cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 red onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1T coriander seeds

coarse salt

1/2 t cumin

1-2 chipotles in abodo sauce, diced finely

1-2 cloves garlic 

juice of 1 lime

2T olive oil

heat 1T olive oil, toast the coriander seeds, set aside

saute garlic, onions, red bell peppers with the chipotles and a little olive oil

mix quinoa with the grilled, diced zucchinis, cherry tomatoes, sauteed peppers (with onions and garlic)

add the toasted coriander seeds, season with cumin, salt, lime juice 

serve garnished with cilantro or mint.

use up your leftover bread: say panzanella!

panzanella: a classic italian salad made of stale bread and tomatoes.  mine used half a loaf of crusty spelt bread, 3 large red tomatoes and a handful of yellow cherry and other hairloom tomato varieties, 1T of capers, lots of basil, two generous cloves of garlic (minced), a dash of coarse salt, and a generous portion of olive oil (3T).  

the spelt bread i used was quite dense so even though too stale for other consumption, i had to dry it out a little more for this salad.  to do that, i cut it into large cubes, tossed with some olive oil and baked/dried it out in the oven at 250F for 25mins.  in the meantime, i cut the tomatoes into large chunks, julienned the basil and diced the garlic.  i mixed those with some coarse salt, capers and olive oil.  i then added the dried bread and tossed together.  i let it stand, covered, on the counter for about an hour for the flavours to integrate.  before serving, i threw in a couple of handfuls of fresh arugula.

a delicious, filling salad that tastes like summer! and so easy!

from market finds to fresh summer meals

for freshness, i love my community farmers' market! well, for time being, its really the next best thing to having my own patch of land to cultivate. and it keeps the resources within the community!  here are a couple of lovely salads - one earthy, one fresh, both made from local, seasonal produce that i found at the market over the last couple of saturdays. enjoy!

 

greens with fresh rainbow radish, sprouts, grilled baby beets and fennel steaks

 

minted lemony zucchini ribbons

cold soba on a hot day

here is a a really good and easy cold soba noodle salad recipe - perfect for a hot summer day (you can easily make this a warm salad for a cold winter night too, but let's not talk about cold winter nights just yet). i made this twice last week because it is so good and takes no time at all. the first time i made it, i added sauteed oyster mushrooms instead of the tofu that i listed in this recipe. both versions were delicious.

cold soba noodle-veggie salad
1 carrot
handful of snow peas
1 red bell pepper
1 small cucumber
2 green onions, or quarter of red onion
cilantro
0.5 block of tofu, cubed
soba noodles, handful (i use 100% buckwheat soba, but other kinds will do as well)

for the sauce, blend together:
1T miso
1T tamari
1T almond butter
1t tahini
2Ts rice vinager or lime juice
1inch ginger root, grated
1t maple syrup or honey
1t hot chili sauce

bring water to boil in a pot, cook the soba noodles until done (about 5-7min). drain, rinse under cold water and let drain well.
julienne all the veggies. cube the tofu and saute with a little oil and tamari (about 2-3min). mix the veggies, tofu and noodles with the sauce. garnish with cilantro (and maybe some black sesame seeds).

makes 4 servings.

my heart skipps a beet

i love beets! their earthiness, sweetness and rich colour. i find that roasting them with a little olive oil and salt brings out all those qualities best. here, i paired them with shelled edamame, arugula and seared tofu for a gorgeous and nutritious dinner salad. roasted garlic, toasted pine nuts and herb-spelt croutons make it all that much more special. you can add some nice goat's cheese for a non-vegan option.

2 small beets, sliced
handful of arugula
0.3 cup shelled frozed edamame (soy beans) or baby lima beans
2 0.25 inch slices of tofu
3 cloves garlic
2T+ olive oil
1 slice spelt bread, cubed
0.5 t tarragon, marjoram or any dry herb
splash of red wine
0.5 t cajun spice mix
pinch of salt
1 T lemon juice

toss the sliced beets and garlic cloves in some olive oil and roast on a baking sheet for about 10 min or until tender;

for the crutons: in a pan or heavy skillet heat 1 T of the olive oil, add the cubed toast and dry herbs and toast in the pan until golden and crunchy; toast the pine nuts and set aside.

for the seared tofu: in a pan, heat 1t olive oil and place tofu slices in it, sprinkle cajun spice mix and some salt on it and let cook for about 1-2 min or until lightly browned; turn over and repeat the same. when both sides are browned, splash the red wine over it and let the tofu absorb it. remove from the heat.

run the edamame under warm water to defreeze quickly. place in the pan with some lemon juice, saute briefly (less than 1 min).

assemble salad by stacking altering layers of roasted beets (3 to 4 slices) and seared tofu on a bed of arugula. place the edamame over the stack, let fall. arrange the croutons, roasted garlic and pine nuts over top. serve with 1 T of creamy balsamic vinaigrette (see july 6 posting for a recipe).

makes 1 dinner salad serving; 2 side salad servings

dress it up! a quick guide to salad dressings...

a good salad dressing can make a salad or transform a bowl of steamed veggies into an exciting meal. the basic formula is: something oily + something tart + something sweet... blended. the classic vinaigrette recipe has a 1:3 ratio of tart to oily. i find that's far too much oil, so i often keep the ratio 1:1 and add other ingredients or even water to make up the volume. and that clearly leaves lots of room for experimentation... here are a few ideas i've come up with today.

creamy dill dressing
0.5 cup fresh dill weed (chopped, stems included)
0.25 cup tofu (silken or firm will do)
0.25 cup olive oil
juice of one lemon
1 clove garlic, chopped
pinch of salt and ground black pepper
1 t honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup water; or as necessary to achieve the desired consistency

orange almond dressing
juice of 0.5 orange, or 1/3 cup of orange juice
0.25 cup olive or sesame oil
0.25 inch of ginger root, chopped
1-2 t almond butter or ground almonds
1 t maple syrup
1 t grainy mustard

creamy balsamic vinaigrette
0.25 cups olive oil
0.25-0.3 cups balsamic vinegar
1-2 cloves of garlic, roasted
1 t maple syrup
1 t dijon mustard
salt and cracked black pepper to taste

see also the orange-miso dressing in my july 5th post.

broccoli and miso

a good post-yoga or post-workout meal. light yet filling and most importantly, delicious. to make it even more protein rich, you can add cooked or sprouted chickpeas, lentils. marinated tempeh would work really well too.

steamed broccoli, zucchini, sea asparagus salad with tamari tofu and creamy orange-miso dressing

1 head broccoli, florets separated
1 handful sea asparagus, or regular asparagus (whatever you have on hand)
1 small yellow zucchini, shredded length wise (to make pretty long ribbons)
0.5 avocado, cut into crescents
0.5 head red lettuce
0.3 block of tofu, diced
1T sesame oil
1T tamari
pinch of cayenne

steam broccoli and sea/asparagus for less than 5 mins
wash and dry lettuce leaves
fry tofu in the sesame oil, turning to ensure that all sides are evenly cooked and lightly browned, pour the tamari over it and let the tofu absorb it. turn off the heat.

arrange the veggies on a bed of lettuce, topping with the tofu and a pinch of cayenne and the orange miso dressing (see recipe below).

orange miso dressing
blend together:
1T genmai miso (but any would do)
1T rice vinegar
2T fresh squeezed orange juice
handful of peppitas or sunflower seeds
1t maple syrup

ladies' night

i had some ladies over for dinner tonight and given how beautiful the day was i wanted to make something relatively light ... a "one foot in winter, one foot in the spring" type of meal. i made some soup - acorn squash adzuki with shitake garnish soup from veganomicon (see vegan with a vengeance link for some great recipes), and two nice salads - a belgian endive-pear-date salad with crumbled goats cheese and toasted almonds and an arugula, roasted red pepper and caramelized onion salad. for dessert, we had some chocolate dipped strawberries. it was a fine meal!

the soup:

as usual, i changed the recipe a little to conform to what i did or did not have in my fridge and pantry. instead of all acorn squash, i used one acorn and one small butternut. i also switched the chinese-five spice for some curry powder. it was still delicious. here is what you will need:

1 butternut squash (small), diced

1 acorn squash (small), diced

1 bartlett pear, sliced thinly

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 red onion or cooking onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 inches fresh ginger root, chopped

1T curry powder

1t salt

4 cups water

1 veggie-herb bullion cube

4-5 shitakes

1t sesame oil

1T tamari

in a heated pot, saute the onion and pepper for 5mins, add ginger, garlic and spices - cook for another 1 min. add squash and pear, mix and saute for a further 5 mins mixing frequently. add the stock (from 4 cups boiling water and 1 bullion cube). bring to simmer, lower the heat and cook covered for 20-25 mins. take half of the veggies out and blend in a food processor, blender or with a hand blender, add to the remaining "chunky" part. stir around and cook for another 10 mins. garnish with sauteed shitakes and pea shoots: saute the mushrooms in 1t oil for 5mins, add tamari and let absorb.

the salads:

the names explains the ingredients, so no need for the list here. i separated the belgian endive leaves and sprinkled the remaining ingredients over it - the leaves then served as little vessels for all the goodness on top. i drizzled a simple vinaigrette over - lemon, olive oil, a little sesame oil, dijon and maple syrup. since i had some vinaigrette left over, i decided to use it as a base for the dressing on my arugula salad. but to shake things up and change the flavours slightly, i added a little tamari. a little change but a completely different flavour - and it worked!